Score: 95/100 points
The ‘Collection’ Cuvée by Languedoc winery Mas des Capitelles is the pinnacle of the producer’s winemaking know-how, aimed at being the absolute expression of their best terroir. In their own words: “Exception par excellence, the “Collection” vintage is a reflection of our knowledge and experience governed by high standards, patience and rarity.”
This 2007 vintage numbered as “No. 1” —the cuvée’s first-ever vintage ,the second vintage being the Collection N2 in 2011— is a blend of 80% Mourvèdre with 20% Carignan and Syrah.
Grapes were all hand-harvested. While the Mourvèdre and Syrah were fermented using the traditional winemaking technique, the Carignan was made using the carbonic maceration process (similar to Beaujolais Nouveau wine), with extended maceration lasting for over 30 days.
The wines were then aged in French oak barrels for 24 months and then matured in tanks for another 12 months.
Unfiltered and with a minimum use of sulfites (SO2), this is an organic wine from Mas des Capitelles’ biodynamically-cultivated vineyards.
Overall Tasting Impressions
A captivating, stunningly complex, and layered a tasting experience this N1 cuvée provides.
The producer, Mas des Capitelles, claims that this is the best-possible expression of their Faugères terroir and vines, their ultimate go at producing a genuine-to-its-land world-class Languedoc wine. They’ve certainly achieved their goal, coming up with a wine that is bursting with sun and comforting rich fruity flavors, a dry and savory feel, coated in a velvety smoothness.
The most impressive parts are the intensity of flavors, the layered and powerful length, and the fruity/savory general feel… They strikingly form a coherent whole here.
Full Tasting Notes
This Languedoc red wine comes in a pretty dark and mysterious red color indeed, nearly black to the core, featuring an intense dark red with both orange and purple hues to the rim. It is looking mature in a way, with hints of orange hues, but also at the same time youthful for a 10-year-old wine, displaying vibrant purple hues too.
The nose gives a clue to what we’re with here. It’s powerful and quite pungent, yet deep and mysterious as well.
Pungent notes of red berry fruits dominate the aromatic profile, especially blackcurrant, and outstanding feature of the aromatic profile, so pure and lively.
Notes that all these descriptions are made on a wine that’s been aerated through decanting for about an hour prior to tasting. The wine simply needed it, feeling tight and introvert before.
Once opened up though, the fresh red berry flavors and cooked apple fruity notes, are complemented and deepened by a myriad of sweet spices, but even more importantly, a sense of earthiness and forest floor, although the overall smell always remains lively and fruity. We are here with a fresh wine that’s 100% alive despite it’s relatively advanced age for a Languedoc red. Those are the sign given by the nose at least…
Put the wine in your mouth, and if you had any doubt about the freshness and pungency of the wine, it makes on the palate a huge statement.
The Mourvèdre-dominant red explodes literally in bursting blackcurrant and strawberry jam flavors, augmented by white and black pepper, some nutmeg and other spices too.
Powerful caramel, coffee and toffee notes capture your senses authoritatively, somewhat like the darkest of chocolates let’s your taste buds know: “what did you expect, we’re into serious business of yumminess here!”
Tannins are soft, a little granulous, on the velvet side more than the silky one, allowing them to provide at the same time a sensation of smooth AND character, with a slightly grippy feel to the finish.
This is a dry wine, with a lively acidity underlining the red berry flavors well, but so balanced by rich fruity flavors, an oily texture and a sun-ripen fruit warming sensation the whole feels generous, sweet/sour, dry and ashy from such concentrated spices, yet overall fruity and rich.
Long-lasting and layered the tasting experience certainly is…
Enjoy 🙂
Suggested Glassware & Decanter for this Wine
Check it out on Amazon
Please let me know your thoughts